Inside Liam Rosenior’s first week at Chelsea

In time, Reece James, Cole Palmer and Chelsea’s other players may stroll into their Cobham training ground anticipating a routine session on the pitch, only to be ushered into a private room to participate in a Lego-building competition instead.

That has been one of Liam Rosenior’s team-bonding ideas since he first became a head coach – a light-hearted way for his players to connect and create away from the field.

There was none of that at Chelsea over the last week, however. No time. Not with Charlton in the FA Cup, Arsenal in the Carabao Cup, Brentford in the Premier League and then Pafos in the Champions League coming so soon – four competitions for tackling in 12 days.

It has been a rapid induction for the Rosenior revolution, and so the approach from the 41-year-old Englishman was arguably much more traditional. In between the learning of new names, from Billy the masseur to Bob the security bloke to Stephane the chef, he got down to business from the moment he flew in from Strasbourg last Tuesday afternoon.

He was immediately introduced to the squad after arriving at Cobham via private transfer from Farnborough Airport. There was no desire from Rosenior to have them think poorly of his predecessor Enzo Maresca, as if he were the new boyfriend trying to one-up the ex. Such resentfulness is pointless. He praised what they had already achieved together.

Rosenior explained how his system is not a million miles away from Maresca’s – save for the odd tactical tweak – but how highly he values creating human connections between each other.

Realising footballers are not fond of long meetings, and that they can be dreadfully dull if you delve too much into tactical talk, he kept those group gatherings short and sweet if he could help it.

Rather, his office door being forever open, he has spoken individually with several of his stars.

With Palmer, so he understands why he will not rush into overly using him at the risk of re-injury. With Robert Sanchez, to explain how any errors he commits are on not on him as the goalkeeper but rather himself as the head coach, alongside a pledge to have his back in public.

With Estevao Willian, whose English is improving, so he is not overly disappointed when he does not start. With Moises Caicedo, explaining how he wants Chelsea fans in 10 years’ time to think of him alongside Claude Makelele and N’Golo Kante as one of their midfield greats.

With Wesley Fofana, to gauge how he would feel facing Arsenal as a left-sided centre back rather than a right-sided one and following Martin Odegaard in a man-to-man strategy.

Rosenior values others’ opinions. He is not dictatorial. He pushes players for their take before setting a tactical plan. They are the ones who have to execute it, after all, and they are encouraged to have a voice. Chelsea were brave when taking on Arsenal in persisting with trying to pass from the back, and it was not only Rosenior who agreed they should avoid ripping up their approach, even if it was the Premier League’s most vivacious pressers who were visiting.

At Strasbourg, supporters were allowed to watch training from afar. At his first session in France, he went over to greet every local who had come to observe. Chelsea’s training is held behind closed doors, but he wasted no time in trying to absorb the squad in his preferred style of play.

If there is one word to sum up those first sessions, we are told it is ‘react’. They carried a focus on how they respond to setbacks, including losing the ball. He reiterated that it is ‘no problem’ if you or a team-mate relinquishes possession, so long as you ‘react well’ in trying to win it back. No sulking. No sluggishness. Help your mates and they will help you. One for all and all for one.

Rosenior is hands-on in how he pauses play if he sees something he dislikes, but when he sees something he likes, the praise is loud and proud, the new head coach not wearing gloves so they can hear his applause. 

He has not shied from packing on the PDA with players as he is the arm-around-the-shoulders type – an affectionate approach which is said to have been appreciated by Chelsea’s young group already. He has privately praised James for being a leader away from the pitch, particularly with youngsters such as Josh Acheampong, because Rosenior believes the captain’s words carry more weight than his own. Indeed, James did not need to travel on the team bus for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg with Arsenal because he was injured, but he insisted on doing so.

Before that game, Rosenior visited Stamford Bridge for the first time in five years since playing there in a charity fixture, with club aides showing him the layout of the changing room, the way to the technical area, and where he will speak to the media after matches.

Rosenior believes if he respects his players, then they will respect him, the young coach telling those who have not seen as many minutes as they would have liked under Maresca that they have a clean slate with him. Jorrel Hato has already seen his own increase in opportunities.

When Chelsea’s squad were told to make sure they wash their hands amid the virus spreading through the camp, with illness having struck down Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens this week, it was said to have been done with humour. Rosenior is emotionally intelligent, and he says he has only been himself since coming into the club, because he believes players will soon see through him if he pretended to be someone he is not.

Training time has been limited, though. After losing to Arsenal on Wednesday, a recovery session was scheduled for Thursday, leaving only Friday to prepare for playing Brentford on Saturday. Listening to advice, around 30 minutes has been allocated for actual tactical work on the pitch.

Against Arsenal, they conceded three goals – the first to a corner, the second after a throw-in, and it did not go unnoticed by Rosenior that the third followed a free-kick in the visitors’ own half. Given Brentford’s heavy focus on set-pieces, including long throws, that will be worked on.

There have been daily conversations between Rosenior and Chelsea’s hierarchy, including co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart. They are believed to be currently looking for a new central defender. Any and all potential targets will be put to Rosenior, with club insiders insistent that he will be involved in those discussions and decisions.

Rosenior’s start to life as Chelsea head coach has been a whirlwind, his personal life said to have been placed on hold as he commits every waking hour to his new role. He will tell you the last week has been no hardship, however, but rather a privilege.